U.S. and Russia Unveil Remote-Control Checks of Nuclear Sites

Published: April 2, 1995

WASHINGTON, April 1—
The United States and Russia have unveiled an experimental remote-control monitoring system that could eventually help safeguard tons of weapons-grade plutonium and uranium in Russia, which could also keep track of the American supplies.

As part of a six-month experiment, the remote sensors and video camera were installed in storage vaults containing highly enriched uranium at the Kurchatov Institute, Russia's premier nuclear research site, and at the Argonne-West laboratory in Idaho.

The two nations will be able to monitor each other's nuclear sites by examining computer printouts of any recorded activity in the vaults. As a demonstration, computer signals and photographs from inside the vaults were transmitted to the Energy Department's control center on Friday after the sensors were activated.

"This is the future," Energy Secretary Hazel R. O'Leary said as she observed the demonstration with the Ambassador Yuli Vorontsov of Russia and Nikolai Ponomarev-Stepnoi, vice president of the Russian nuclear institute, near Moscow.

The officials acknowledged that the monitoring system was only a pilot program, but they emphasized that similar equipment could eventually be used to improve security at Russian nuclear storage sites and deter theft. The vault being monitored at the Kurchatov Institute contains 154 pounds of highly enriched uranium, while the vault at Argonne-West has 286 pounds.

Russia is said by experts outside the Government to have as much as 130 tons of weapons-grade plutonium and as much as 1,200 metric tons of highly enriched uranium at various sites. There has been grave concern in the West about lax security at some Russian nuclear sites and possible diversion of some of the material.

It takes only a few pounds of plutonium to make a nuclear weapon. Highly enriched uranium can also be processed to be used in a weapon.

Ms. O'Leary said that with the joint experiment "the United States and Russia are demonstrating to the world their shared commitment to reduce the global nuclear danger." She said it demonstrated that the nations had the capability to conduct secure monitoring.

But the Russians are not prepared to open all their nuclear storage sites for remote sensors. Mr. Ponomarev-Stepnoi called the limited experiment "a very good demonstration of trust" but acknowledged that Russian officials had not decided whether to allow the devices into other storage sites. He said that if the system was installed it would be for "internal" Russian use.

Ms. O'Leary said: "This is a pilot program. What we're celebrating is that we have the capability."

Charles Curtis, Under Secretary of the Energy Department, who has been involved in the discussions with the Russians, said the remote sensing technology would be discussed in upcoming negotiations on nuclear nonproliferation.